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KW, NES, SO, Written Evidence

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KW, NES, SO, Written Evidence Written Evidence Submission to the Joint Review Panel assessing the Northern Gateway Pipeline Application North Coast Cetacean Society Part 1 (26 pages) January 2, 2011 Occurrence of Northern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in the Confined Channel Assessment Area Between Wright Sound and Caamano Sound from North Coast Cetacean Society Observations for the Period 2006 to 2011 Photo: J.Pilkington, R12 in Caamano Sound, taken from land, no cropping. Prepared by: James Pilkington; with assistance from Hermann Meuter and Janie Wray, !!North Coast Cetacean Society. 1 Northern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) INTRODUCTION The proponent was not able to determine the significance of project-related impacts for Northern Resident Killer Whales (NRKW) (Northern Gateway Application: Volume 8b, Section 10, page 10-49, 2010), highlighting several knowledge gaps and the use of the precautionary principle. The proponent assumes that NRKW behaviour in Caamano Sound will be affected by the project, with a magnitude rating of "moderate# (Northern Gateway Application: Volume 8b, Section 10, page 10-47). NRKW are legally listed as "threatened# under the Species at Risk Act (FOC, 2008). NRKW occurrence in the Confined Channel Assessment Area (CCAA) is thought to be high based on observations by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO or FOC)- Cetacean Research Program since 1992, North Coast Cetacean Society (NCCS) since 2001, and the Gitga#at First Nation. Occurrence in the CCAA based on DFO and NCCS observations up until 2005 was summarized in Ford (2006), highlighting Caamano Sound and waters surrounding Gil Island as a likely area of critical habitat in need of further study, and was also mentioned in the Final Recovery Strategy for NRKW as an area of potential critical habitat in the Species At Risk Act process (FOC, 2008). Continued efforts in the area since 2006 have shed considerable light on many of the existing knowledge gaps in this area, such as, year-round frequency of occurrence, locations of foraging areas, behaviour, and the proportion of the overall population that uses the area. NCCS has been stationed year-round at a remote field station (Cetacea Lab) on Gil Island since 2001, monitoring whale activity primarily using a network of radio-linked hydrophones and boat-based surveys. Prior to 2008, NCCS efforts to document NRKW occurrence in this region were focused primarily on the waters surrounding Gil Island with occasional boat-based surveys into Caamano Sound. In June 2008, NCCS expanded their network of radio-linked hydrophones into Caamano Sound with the installation of a hydrophone station at Ulric Point on the northern tip of Aristazabal Island. A land-based outcamp was then established at Ulric Point with permission of the Gitga#at First Nation in 2009 in order to visually supplement on-going acoustic monitoring to document NRKW travel patterns in Caamano Sound, and more accurately assess NRKW frequency of occurrence in the region. In combination with the ongoing NCCS efforts around Gil Island, this expansion into Caamano Sound allowed near- continuous monitoring of: Caamano Sound, Campania Sound, Squally and Whale Channels, and to a lesser extent, Wright Sound. This represents a significant portion of the Confined Channel Assessment Area (CCAA). We provide a summary of our study methods, effort, and results for year-round occurrence of NRKW from 2006-2011, including: frequency of occurrence, knowledge of common foraging areas, observed seasonal movements and a discussion of the potential impacts of the marine transportation portion of the proposed Northern Gateway 2 project in light of these results. Please refer to Ford (2006) for a summary of NRKW activity in the CCAA, including NCCS observations, prior to 2006. METHODS Killer whale detections were made through shore-based, acoustic, and boat-based methods. Shore-based Shore-based observation of killer whales took place from two locations: Cetacea Lab on Gil Island, and an outcamp on Ulric Point, Aristazabal Island (Figure 1). The two locations and study methods from each will be described individually below. Cetacea Lab Cetacealab is located in Taylor Bight on the southern shoreline of Gil Island with good vantage of lower Whale Channel and lower Squally Channel (Figure 1). Prior to 2010, shore-based effort from Cetacealab was incidental, mainly occurring when killer whales were detected via a nearby hydrophone. Beginning in 2010, killer whales were documented by trained volunteer land-based observers conducting scheduled scans of the entire viewable area from Cetacealab from May until September 2010 and 2011. Four to six observers rotated on two hour shifts in order to maintain a constant watch throughout daylight hours. During a two hour shift a volunteer would keep casual watch, except for a 5 minute rigorous scan that was conducted every 15 minutes during which all marine mammal species were documented, creating a total of 30 minutes of rigorous searching per two hour period. Observers used a combination of naked eye, Nikon 8x40 and 7x50 handheld binoculars and a tripod mounted 20-60x80 mm Vortex Skyline ED spotting scope to search for marine mammals. Effort generally commenced at 0700 and ended at 2200 daily, depending on length of daylight. Rarely were killer whales sighted prior to being detected by the simultaneous acoustic monitoring, described later. Once killer whales were sighted, their route of travel was determined and a boat was deployed to attempt photo identification, described later. When possible, photos of the dorsal fin and dorsal saddle were taken from land when killer whales passed within close proximity to Cetacea Lab with a Canon 50D digital SLR camera with 400m f/4.5 lens. The photos were then compared to previously compiled photo-identification catalogs to identify individuals based on the presence of distinct natural markings (Ellis, Ford, Towers, 2007; Ellis, Towers, Ford, 2011). Ulric Point Outcamp An experienced land-based observer (J. Pilkington) with occasional volunteer assistance documented killer whales from a remote shore-based camp at Ulric Point (Figure 1), the northern tip of Aristazabal Island for three summer field seasons from 2009 to 2011, except for one month spent at a second location on the eastern shore of Rennison Island (52.8268N/129.3130W) in summer 2010. 3 Table 1 indicates the start and end dates for each field season, including any gaps in effort. Observers surveyed from a platform height of 29 feet measured to a 0.0ft tide, allowing sighting distances of killer whales to approximately 7nm nautical miles in perfect conditions on the lowest tide. The Ulric Point platform offered an unobstructed viewing arc of greater than 180 degrees, looking north into Caamano Sound. Observers used Pentax 8x40 handheld binoculars in all years in combination with a 20-60x80mm spotting scope in 2009 and 2010, or 25x100mm OberwerkTM tripod-mounted binoculars in 2011. 2009 was the pilot year and no survey protocols were established though scanning was conducted regularly throughout daylight hours. In 2010 a 15-minute rigorous scan took place every 15 minutes, whereas in 2011, 1 hour periods of rigorous scanning were conducted with a 30 minute breaks in between periods. Scanning took place roughly between 0630 and 2100, with casual effort extending to 2300. The signal from the hydrophone installed at Ulric Point was monitored 24/7 by the observers stationed at Ulric Point, actively during daylight, and with a speaker by the tent throughout the night (at a volume that was likely to wake the researchers upon hearing killer whales). The time was recorded for the first and last audible vocalizations for each encounter. Opportunistic visual scanning would commence whenever killer whale vocalizations were detected during daylight hours. During times when the Ulric Point hydrophone was not in operation, whenever killer whales were detected visually, a kayak would be deployed and digital recordings were made from in front of Ulric Point using a portable hydrophone and digital recorder to aid in group identification (prior to June 18, in 2010, and prior to June 9, in 2011). Upon sighting killer whales, all search effort would cease and focus would be placed on tracking and observing the whales. When possible, groups of whales were identified visually from memory by an experienced observer (JP). Due to the stable nature of matrilineal group structure of NRKW (Ford, Ellis, Balcomb, 2000), once recognizable individuals were deemed present social affiliations and types of vocalizations allowed the identification of other individuals and groups present. Photos were taken from land of the dorsal fins and dorsal saddles of NRKW#s passing at close proximity to Ulric Point using a Nikon D200 digital SLR camera with Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 lens for the purpose of identification whenever possible. Photos were subsequently compared to previously compiled identification catalogues (Ellis, Ford, Towers, 2007; Ellis, Towers, Ford, 2011). A detailed written summary of the travel route taken was created after each encounter, along with the behaviours observed. For portions of the 2010 and 2011 seasons, boat-based photo identification of NRKW sightings made from Ulric Point were possible through the efforts of the Gitga#at First Nation Coastal Guardian Watchmen program stationed on Rennison Island. Methods for boat-based photo identification are described in the boat-based methods section, below. Acoustic Monitoring NCCS maintains a network of 5 radio-linked hydrophones placed strategically in the study area in order to provide maximum coverage of waters surrounding Gil Island 4 (Whale and Squally Channels, and Wright Sound), as well as Caamano Sound (Figure 1) for the purpose of monitoring for cetacean vocalizations. 3 hydrophones (Taylor Bight, Whale Channel, and Wright Sound) comprised the network from 2006 until June 2008, unitl the Ulric Point hydrophone was also added to the network in June 2008. The fifth hydrophone, located in Squally Channel was installed June 2011.
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